


What are we

by LilyintheValley (iwant2beelieve)



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Comfort, F/M, Major avoidance, Public proposal, Rejection?, Salty brokeass MC projects cultural rage, Spoilers galore boys!, also MC is kinda Big Dumb, pining?, something close to obsession
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-22
Updated: 2020-11-23
Packaged: 2021-03-09 06:48:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 20,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27149636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iwant2beelieve/pseuds/LilyintheValley
Summary: “You should sleep early tonight. Text me if anything happens.”You squint.“Shouldn’t I text Seven? What are you gonna do if you don’t know where I am? Also, I’ll stay up and sleep in.”Silence.“He doesn’t have the means of protection at his disposal.”You scowl at the screen. Bougie-ass.(In which MC has a weird comfort complex and doesn’t really like Jumin so much.)
Relationships: 707 | Choi Luciel/Main Character, 707 | Choi Luciel/Reader, Han Jumin/Main Character, Han Jumin/Reader
Comments: 11
Kudos: 49





	1. Prologue

Maybe it’s because you felt watched. Maybe you could feel the threat. Worse, maybe you were counting on it. This could be the reckless thing you’ve been joking about doing for months. You’d end up dead, in jail, or thousands of miles away in an unfavorable situation.

 _Good_.

After some back and forth with your catfishing kidnapper and a long bus ride into the city, you arrive at the apartment in question. You knock once, twice....nothing.

“Hello?”

You try in a few languages. Still nothing.

You text the mystery criminal back. You didn’t come all this way for nothing. Either you were gonna do this good deed or, more likely, someone was gonna do a deed to you. You shuddered at the thought.

After some more very delicate texting, you were given the door code. Well. There was no way this could end well. You shrugged it off, giving in to the fact that whoever was asking you to do this was probably somewhere nearby watching you already anyway, and that there was no point in running or getting police involved at this point.

“I dug this grave,” you mutter quietly as you double and triple check the code as you poke at the numbers of the door.

_Beedeedee-ding! Click._

The door unlocks and you very gingerly push it open. Again, you call out a few greetings to anyone that may be inside. After a minute or so, you decide the place is empty. Weird, though, the lights were on. Not only that, but the place looks......lived in. It’s not a sty and it’s not in shambles, but whoever lived there both simultaneously possessed and lacked organizational skills. It looks like the home of an office worker who either works from home exclusively, or gets worked like a medieval town’s single mule.

_Bing bing bing!_

Ah, the door. You let it close behind you to shut off the alarm. You had expected something bad to have happened by now. You stand for a moment in the entryway, still scanning with your eyes alone. When another minute or so had passed and you feel the adrenaline of “I’m entering a murder-house” leave your system, you slide your shoes off and tiptoe around the place.

Without touching anything, you confirm no one was home and it looks like it had been a while since someone was too. It was mildly more dusty than your own place, and you weren’t an avid cleaner.

“Alright already, what’s the deal?” You finally ask the empty flat, hoping your observer would reveal themself. When there’s nothing more than the sounds of outside traffic, you whip your phone back out.

Gone is the message you had open; now there’s some weird app on your screen, like a weird wifi based messenger, but you’ve never seen this before. It didn’t ring any bells of dating apps, language exchange apps, or more common wifi based messengers. Maybe it was a region specific one for countries you didn’t know much about?

Immediately, messages start flooding in. You were already added to a group chat. They were already talking. You drew your brows together and stared down at your screen, finally kind of freaked out. You weren’t all that familiar with tech stuff, viruses, and hacking, but clearly some sort of digital shit hit the digital fan because this? You had no explanation for this. This was a “better call my single friend in the area and tell them I took an hour long bus to my doom and now there’s a bunch of strangers in a group chat with me and so far no real reason why I was coaxed out here in the first place so—

Uh oh, they were addressing you.

You skim the last few messages. You were accused of being the hacker. Interesting claim of someone who has to look up how Excel documents work after they, to their manager’s face, agree to make a bunch of them.

“Hello.”

The group chat explodes at your one word entry. The only useful information you glean from the cacophony of typos and strange names is that this is a private app, they don’t know how you got it, and you’re in an apartment that belongs to someone they know. You decide its best to ask who they are and what this group chat is for.

Again, everyone all talks at once. But...these guys....are.....well...you wouldn’t say they’re brightest crayons in the box. They begin methodically introducing themselves, some with selfies. They’re all around you age, some older some younger. Weirdly different backgrounds, but friendship is a strange mistress or whatever so that’s not too suspect. Why are they so open? Anyone’s guess, but you definitely are keeping your guard up.

They eventually get around to asking how you got there. Finally. You recount the entire text chain from the unknown number, though you can’t find the conversation anywhere in your phone. After they all run in circles with the same information a few more times, you ask again what this group is for.

Why does every person in there feel like they have something to add? You roll your eyes and when you look again, you see a message claiming one of them is doing a background check on you. He said you were cute, so you know he’s not really checking anything. No official photo you’ve ever taken looked good.

_I wonder what official databases use. Passport photos? Hm._

Eventually another person joined the group. Everyone bowed to his whim like he was a fucking child emperor. Some weird, weird shit was thrown around. Last surviving family? Classified documents? Sensitive materials? The apartment you broke intombeing in this God of the Chat’s name, despite “no one knowing” where it is? Stinks of fish to you. Yet you keep playing along because what else is there to do? It’s highly likely someone involved has your information; one of them must have led you here after all.

Or so you think, until they start going on about how the lady that lived there is dead and she was apparently a fucking oracle who prophecized your going there.

And then, BOOM. There it was, the reason that you were there. They were gonna exploit you for probably illegal-adjacent business work. Whatever organization they said they were, they probably weren’t. Now you get to give them their year end fiscal forms of hitman hirings and drug deals. There have been worse ways of being kidnapped.

What really cracked you up was being told not to touch anything in the place. Ok, cool. How am I gonna eat? What about my actual work? Can I leave? Well, it was a kidnapping, wasn’t it? You feel your already present undereye bags grow deeper as you continued reading their stories snd demands.

Homegirl died almost two years ago, they still have her apartment leased, no one has touched it, and they refuse to do any of the work she ever did because it was too emotionally scarring? Likely story.

You make your disinterest and skepticism known, only to be met with vague threats by the guy you assumed must be in charge. Or at least, he was the one that got the group’s single braincell.

You agree to be a member of their little group for now. On one hand, they didn’t give you much of a safe way out. On the other, you were interested to see how they were gonna twist this into “charity work.” Also, it was a Friday night, so you could afford to stay put and tickle their fancies.

You reopen a draft of a text you were sending to your friend as an SOS.

“I’m in the city staying the night. If I don’t text you by 10 tomorrow, assume I’m dead.”

And with that you drift off to sleep, on your coat, on the floor. They did say not to touch anything after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey fam whats poppin, this first chapter is mostly to set the stage for MC’s personality so you can decide if you jive with it or not. Also, I’m not really proofreading this and also it may take a drastic turn so watch out for those changing character/relationship tags.


	2. I feel bad but only kinda

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Miscellaneous bits from before his route actually starts

The older brother figure never appealed to you in men. When Jumin told you to sleep early or eat well or stay safe it kind of bothered you. You are an adult, responsible for your own life.

Before all of this, you had been on kind of an isolation kick. You didn’t text or hang out with friends or coworkers often. When they, especially coworkers, tried to small talk with you and ask how you were, it was annoying. They didn’t really care about your business. It was just good form to ask. Why couldn’t they just leave you be?

This was that, echoed.

“You should sleep early tonight. Text me if anything happens.”

You squint.

“Shouldn’t I text Seven? What are you gonna do if you don’t know where I am? Also, I’ll stay up and sleep in.”

Silence.

“He doesn’t have the means of protection at his disposal.”

You scowl at the screen. Bougie-ass.

“I just don’t want you hurt.”

You shudder.

“I’m fine.” You pause, wince, then add, “Thanks.”

“I stand by my earlier statements. I have to go now. Goodbye, MC.”

Less than an hour later, a call. It’s him again.

“Hello?”

“It just really bothers me that I can’t have guards at you place. I-“

“Seven will handle it; he said so.”

“Even so, he’s only human. He could make a mistake.”

You open you mouth the remind HIM he’s not a superhuman robot, but he speaks.

“So I want you to keep your phone near. Add me to your speed dial. Call me if anything happens.”

That old annoyance comes back. WHY would he say that if he can’t do anything to help? What’s the point? You roll your eyes.

“Can I call late at night?”

He pauses for a split second. “Well of course, if something happens. Chit chat wouldn’t be good then but....well...maybe if it’s with you. Even when you have nothing important to say I’m curious to hear your out.” You hear him inhale sharply. “Did you have dinner?”

“Yes,” you lie. “What about you?”

“Yes. I always keep a regular schedule, so you don’t need to worry about me. But....I...could tell you the details if you’re curious.”

You say nothing. What was going on with him today? 

He goes on about some fancy chef-prepared dinner he ate. Mumbling about how annoyed Zen would be. Little did he know, you were too. Something about how damn entitled....oh, you don’t have the time to travel to their restaurant? It’s fine they definitely have all the time in the world to come to your house. _Bullshit_. He wants you to come to his house too? You squint at the phone. 

“Uhg, this was supposed to be a distracting conversation but somehow I’m more bothered that you’re there alone. It’s not 100% safe. As a perfectionist, I cannot be happy with less than 100%.” He sighs into the phone. “I suppose I should call V about it again. I wish he was more concerned. Then, I have to go. Have a good day. Goodbye.”

Something about his attitude today was freaky. Maybe something was going on with his dad and his fiance or something. This was the second time in one day he had gotten kind of personal or flirty. Weird.

~~~~

Every time Jumin called you, you felt the corner of your mouth pull at a frown. You always answered, and you always expected annoyance.

“I was working on some documents, but I wanted to take a break so I called.”

This wasn’t the first time he’d done this. Maybe once or twice before in the last few days he’d called to “take a break.”

“My coffee isn’t good and my headache won’t leave so...I thought hearing you voice would make me feel better. Is that how you say lI want to hear your voice”?

You pause. That part was new. 

“Ah, anyway there’s a typo in this document. How could it have gotten to me with a typo still in it...”

You take your chance to reroute.“A typo? You should fix it.”

“Yes, but it’s a bother. I understand how it could happen, but...it’s my father’s business anyway. Whenever she starts something new, the office devolves into chaos trying to finish it as fast as possible.”

Ah ha. So this was about his dad. Admittedly, you felt a little bad about Jumin’s family drama. You felt personally like you’d been quite supportive and comforting about everything so far. Was it because you really pitied him? Or because you had such a strong dislike of the whole Chaebol business that you’d say anything to belittle his father’s position and importance? Judging by how annoyed Jumin could make you just by calling your phone, you guessed the latter.

You told him he and his father aren’t too different, but they express themselves differently; that’s all.

He didn’t much like that. Still, he respected his father, even if be insisted they had nothing in common.

“Let me know if something happens,” you offer, only half sincere. 

“Why? So you can comfort me? I doubt that would be effective....”

You scoff.

“Still, not bad to try.”

With that you heard an assistant of some sort enter his office and give him a revised paper. Which Jumin then replayed to you word for word before saying he must go. 

_Uhg_.

~~~~~

He sounded frantic when he said he needed a distraction. Something was obviously hitting him hard today.

“I just want to chat. Ask me anything. What are you doing right now?

You looked down at your legs folded in the bed.“Nothing. Im just on the phone in my pajamas.”

“Pajamas? Like a slip with the lace and ribbons on the front?”

“N—“

“My company designed a line of slips like that a few years ago. They were designed with a ribbon in front you could pull and the slip would come off. I admit that they were made for comfort, but it’s not my taste at all.”

He noticed your abject silence as he continued about clothing etiquette.

“Sorry...if that was..uncomfortable.”

You let out a small huff through your nose. Laughter? 

“Strange, we’re only on the phone but I feel like I can see you in front of me. Is this curiosity? No. Well...it’s interesting.”

“Jumin....that’s usually....” You wince before continuing. “When someone is special to you....”

“Yes, maybe you are. I don’t know why but you always clear my head. I haven’t been able to figure out a cause; maybe this is it. Well, thank you regardless. I think I’ll be able to sleep tonight because of you. I hope you sleep well.” You hear him shuffle his phone like hes going to hang up.“You know,” he continues, “they say that you dream of the biggest impression you had before bed. They mean visually, but I hopes voices work too. Goodnight.”

And with that he was gone.


	3. Why did I come here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wherein MC realizes volunteering to visit Jumin was a mistake

Being alone at Jumins penthouse was....both amazing and frustrating. Amazing on account of the view, the space, the amenities, the decor....amazing because it gave you _something_ to do. You weren't about to act like you didn't absolutely jump Jaehee’s offer to visit the guy. Were you genuinely concerned or was it only an excuse to leave? That was tbd.   
But, the freedom aside, you couldn't forget that A) this was not your home B) this kind of place was an unattainable pipe dream for you C) it literally belonged to a chaebol heir. The enemy. The _man_.   
But lately, you had been feeling really guilty for judging Jumin based on his family background. As much as it sucked, they didn’t invent the system; he was just born into it. Jumin himself seemed to be a very kind person. His social cues were a little....strange but only half of it was a money issue. The bigger part was the fact that he isolated himself from others whenever possible, a pastime that you could agree with.   
In fact, everything going on with him was weirdly relatable. You were no master of emotions, often clamming up when others got soft with you. Crying at funerals, hugging people goodbye, saying “I love you”....none of that was particularly up your alley. So, really and truly, you understood what he was wrestling with. You had a bad habit of meeting people like this and feeling the need to comfort them. You knew, _KNEW_ , you weren’t a therapist; this isn’t your job. Still, helping him become a little more self aware, a little more open, more relaxed, more confident in himself and his feelings...

So, you had been practicing extreme patience with him and now here you were, at his penthouse, sitting around. He was busy at work; you were just world’s jankiest Fabergé egg, being guarded by top notch security. After spending the last few hours poking around on your phone, you decided to try to find something else to do. He had plenty of bookshelves; there must be something to read.   
Fully aware that you were at a relative strangers house, you tried not to touch too much. Most of the books were economically or politically aligned and were some form of self-help or advice. Hard pass. But, you did manage to find some spare printer paper and some pens. You took a seat by the windowed wall and began sketching the city skyline. The city looked nice like this, way up high. You didn’t live in the heart of it yourself. You wouldn't want to. But temporarily, this was nice. Like sightseeing.   
When it started getting dark, the scenery was much different: way more lights and much less distinct skyline. You had to call it quits on the sketch. You stood and stretched, joints crackling from disuse. As you did, you heard a poor, quiet mewl.  
 _Elizabeth!_

She was so quiet all day, you nearly you forgot she was there. You scuttled to the cage and observed the poor cat. She seemed both lethargic and alert. Staying in there all day probably stressed her out. You spent some time with her, poking your fingers through to let her sniff, scratching her head when she came forward. Figuring she needed the company, you gave in and pulled a book from one of the shelves nearby.   
“International Economics and Politics: Parallels Worth Noting. Gross.” Still, you shrugged and laid back down on the floor by Elizabeth’s cage, ocassionally reaching in to pet her as best you could. It was nice, she reminded you of your family pet.

With the dryness of your reading material, the sunset, and comfort of cat purrs you fell asleep there.

“MC?!”

“Huh?” You croak, pushing yourself from the floor. Through your squint you can see a vague figure rushing toward you.

“MC, are you ok? Did something happen?” Jumin scoops your torso into his arms, lifting you further from the floor.

“Yeah,” you respond absentmindedly while blinking a few more times. Ok, there were hands ON you body, _now_ you were awake. “Jumin, I’m fine,” you laugh pulling yourself from his touch. “I just fell asleep.” The worry in his eyes was...well, worrying.   
“In the middle of the floor?!”

You nodded, stifling your laughs. He didn’t need to feel ridiculed right now, but his anxiety really took the reigns on this one. “Listen, listen,” you begin, moving his hands off of you once more and putting them back in his own lap. “I didn’t want Elizabeth to feel lonely stuck in there, so I was sitting with her, reading, and since it got so late I fell asleep.” You read his face before continuing. His features are beginning to soften. “You’re just very stressed right now, I know, but trust me when I say I’m ok and I can take care of myself,” you reassure him before switching to a bit of a stern expression to add, “please.”

“God, you’re right,” he breathes, turning away from you. “I have really been letting my emotions get the better of me.” He clicks his tongue, likely at himself, before standing and pulling you to your feet as well. It was then that he looked down and saw the book you were reading, sketch folded in it as a bookmark. He leaned down and grabbed it. “So this is your interest,” he says, leafing through the book.

You pull the sketch from its pages and with a shake of your head add, “no, this is.” He looks at you quizzically before taking and unfolding your impromptu bookmark.

“This is...”

“The city.”

He scoffs. “I was going to say beautiful...”

You squint at him. It’s a sketch in ballpoint pen done without rulers or proper measurements.

“My father had me take art classes when I was young, but I wasn’t cut out for it,” he continues, not noticing your expression. “It was far too messy and unstructured for my tastes.” He turns his gaze toward you. “Is something wrong?”

“Not everything I do is amazing, you know. Sometimes you act like I’m the next messiah,” you joke with a light jab of your elbow to his.

He blinks, you suppose surprised by your gall to touch him. “Well sometimes you act like it,” he mumbles. You pretend not to hear him. He clears his throat and brushes his shirt flat. “Well, you must be tired,” he declares.

You give him a kind smile and nod once. “Yeah, I should get back to the apartment,” you agree.

“What?” He asks incredulously.

“.....because I’m tired?” You add, confused by his reaction.

“It’s late,” he states.

He was right; it was probably 1 in the morning by now, or close to it. Even your friends hated that you did this, insisting on getting home even in the dead of night. But even if it was 3am, you’d rather sleep in your own bed, or what you were calling your bed, than impose. This was doubly true for an emotionally troubled guy who was coming onto you with increasing intensity.   
“The buses aren’t running, but I can call a cab.”

His jaw drops and he puts a hand to his forehead, breathing heavily. “Did...you take a bus here?” He asks as calmly as he can.

You cover your guilty smile with your hands. “Yes?”

His hand is covering both eyes and rubbing at his temples. “How could you, knowing the current hacker situation, put yourself in that kind of vulnerable position?! Don’t you know how dangerous it is to be in crowds alone right now? Why didnt y—“

“Ok, ok!” You concede. “I know it wasn’t the smartest, but think, ok. Buses are full of people, very public. There’s a stop _right_ by this building. The surveillance is insane around here. The only time something could have happened was at the bus stop and I timed by commute so that I wouldnt be waiting there long. Besides, if the hacker wanted to do something to me, they could do it anytime. They have the address and the door code.” You look up at Jumin, still clearly not pleased. “And I hate taking cabs,” you add, quietly, for good measure.   
“As much as I’d love to ask why you dislike taking a taxi so much, and I have to admit that your previous points are quite valid, I must request you don’t leave tonight. The fellow RFA members would surely agree.”

You give him a look to show how unconvinced you are, and pull your phone out. After a brief conversation where the main topic was whether or not Jumin was gonna jump your bones, honestly you were beginning to have doubts yourself, everyone shared Jumins sentiment about your departure.

“Fuck.” You spit, locking your screen and looking back at Jumin who was now rocking a smug little smile. For a moment, you forget about the issues you were here to help with and felt that old annoyance and frustration come back. It felt like he was telling you what to do, and you had to listen.

He went on for the millionth time about whatever you wanted or whatever would make you comfortable, you could have. You rejected everything, including his bed, but he insisted. Honestly, youd have loved pajamas, but there was no way in hell you were asking that of a guy who was definitely into you.

You got into the bed, laying flat on your back. Normally you slept on your side or stomach and gradually contorted into either a pretzel or a crash test dummy over the course of the night, but you were determined not to do that sleeping at a stranger’s house.

Jumin followed you in and pulled the covers up. Weird. He asked if there was anything else you needed. You smiled and shook your head. He made a move to leave, but turned back again. “This may seem strange, but,” he sighed, “if you’re less tired after all our talking, I could read to you.” This, you could tell, wasn’t just his weird rich boy hospitality shtick. If it it was, that’d be fucking weird.

Remembering why you were here, you said, “that would be nice.”

His eyes brightened and he pulled out an old book and began to read. At the end of the page when he paused for breath, you asked what the book was about.

“I don’t know,” he answered. “I’ve never finished it. A dear friend gave it to me and told me to tell her how it ended but...”

“A friend?” You knew who. He only had a handful of friends, after all.

“Rika.” He shifted his gaze down towards the pages. “I could never finish it after she left; its a special book. But,” he started, looking back up, “you’re special to me, so I’d like to finish it with you.”

At a loss for kind words, you just smiled and nodded. He kept reading after that. You didn’t want to tell him about your personal disinterest in romance. Actually, that’s probably the kindest way to break the news. You really came here as a kindhearted friend. You thought he was being so responsive to your texts originally because you were used to handling people with, for lack of a better phrase, low emotional intelligence. Unfortunately, it seemed he was so deeply lonely that it looked like he was the type to mistake kindness for interest. You’d have to tell him eventually, but it wasn’t too bad right now, right? He was just saying vaguely emotional things, but he was going through something right now. After some time, he would probably figure out what he was really feeling. You told yourself this and listened to the story again, drifting off to sleep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyoo I’m back with a short lil blurb! If you’re reading this, I hope you have some time for yourself to relax sometime soon. Love 2 u all!


	4. Panic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MC has their first real “Ruh-roh, Raggy!” thoughts

“Your sleepy eyes are cute.”

You blink yourself awake and stretch, making that weird sound people make when they stretch. You look up; there’s Jumin, dressed for a work day.

“Can I talk to you?”

You sit up, quickly. “Yes, of course,” you half say, half mumble. Emotional revelations? You were ready!

“You.....you’ve spoken to Assistant Kang, right?”

You nod.

“Then, you know I...think I have to go to work today.”

You smile, a big toothy grin.

“I feel bad about leaving Elizabeth here alone, but-“

“Why don’t I watch her?”

He blinks twice rapidly. “You would do that? I’d be so relieved.”

“Of course! She’s such a wonderful cat, and that way you’d feel more comfortable going to work.”

He breathes a sigh of relief. “You’re truly so kind,” he begins. “Should I show you how to feed her?”

“Yes, please!” You jump up from the bed and follow him to the kitchen, where he shows you her food and water dishes and the appropriate food for the day. He hands you the dish and walks to her cage with you. You set the food next to it and he opens the door. She walks out and rubs against the both of you before nibbling at the food and enjoying her freedom.

It was then Jumin made good on his promise of breakfast. He had already prepared everything, so all he had to do was cook the pancakes and plate them.

“You really don’t have to,” you insist.

“I want to,” he says, before asking what you want on your pancakes, what you want to drink, what snacks you want afterward...

“Oh, you should also meet the chief of security in case anything happens while I’m gone. Wait a moment.”

Jumin walks off the call security while you crouch and play with elizabeth. She seems so happy to have her run of the penthouse again. You seriously consider finally getting a pet of your own after all this is over.

“MC, the is the chief of security in this building.”

You stand to bow while Jumin notes that you’re going to be staying there while he’s at work. When you stand up all the way, you see a shot of white in your peripherals. Oh....shit. You nudge Jumin.

“Mr. Han, I just saw-“

He glances around. “Where’s Elizabeth?”

“She just ran out the door,” you say as both the guard and Jumin book it to the entrance and start looking around. They chatter about checking cameras and who’s going where and what’s getting searched first.

You walk toward the door, ready to start looking, when Jumin gently ushers you back inside.

“I know you want to help, but it would really help me to know you’re safe. So, please, stay here.”

You want to protest, but he quickly disappears.

  
  


You spent the back half of that morning talking to everyone in the chat. You told them all about Elizabeth before the wanted ads hit the news. With literally nothing else to do past saying that Jumin wasn’t doing so well, his cat was missing, answering about two emails, snd telling your friend, no, you cant hang out this weekend but this time it was a boy, not work, you sat on the couch and began reading the horrid book you started the night before.

A few hours later, you heard the door. You roused yourself from your stupor of boredom.

“Did you find—“

“No.”

“I’m so sorry,” you stand to comfort him.

“God, I cant believe this. Really.” He huffs in defeat. “My father goes crazy and my cat runs away never be found, all that on top of this hacker business,” he sighs. “Listen, MC, I’m very sorry to ask you this, but could you stay another day? I don’t want you to disappear too...”

Psychologically speaking, you totally got where he was coming from. He was grievingin a really weird way, but given his past, it made sense.

“I wont go anywhere; I want you to feel better.”

“Thank you,” he breathes. “I’m sorry I’m letting my emotions get control over me. I feel like I’m hitting rock bottom.”

You give him a comforting hug, patting his back twice before letting go. “It’s okay, you’re doing what you can. I understand.”

He was stick stiff in your arms, and just stared blankly at you when you let go.

_knock knock_

He pulls away and faces the door.

“Maybe security has some news,” he states, coldly.

You step back and sit yourself on the couch again, hoping for news of the cat.

What you heard is so much less pleasant.

“Sarah? Uhg...what does she want?” You hear Jumin grumble.

“I want her nowhere near here. She couldn’t possibly have news of Elizabeth.”

“I think you should hear her out!” You pipe from the back. “It’s not a bad idea to look into every lead,” you finish, noting how disgusted Jumin looked.

He rolls his eyes and says, “show her in.”

In a style that was previously something you thought was only seen on TV, a woman enters the penthouse.

“Jumin~ I’m so glad to see you~” She flips and fans and fawns. Everything she does screams cheap actor. Oh, wait...

You see her show Jumin a picture of a cat that is most definitely not his. Figures. He begins to tell her to leave, but she becomes absolutely belligerent. To be safe, you type Jaehee’s number into your phone and keep it at the ready. Whatever was about to happen wasn't gonna be good.

“Do you have any idea how hard it was to find a similar cat?!”

You scoff.

“And who is this woman? Here at this hour? Your breakfast dishes are still on the counter!”

She had a point; you should have washed the dishes.

“Oh, I forgot to get a maid,” Jumin muses.

Or that....you suppose.

“It’s fine. Most rich men have affairs....granted that’s usually after marriage, but I’m very understanding!”

“It’s not that—“

“I’m his friend!” You call across the room.

“What kind of friend spends the night like this? I’m not that dumb.”

You cock your head. Again, she got you there. This _was_ weird.

“What she is or isn’t is unimportant to you. You’re here for money. That’s all women like you want. It is, isn’t it?”

She quiets.

“How about this, I offer you a settlement. I give you what you want, you leave and don’t come back.”

She’s still silent.

“How much could you need? I’m sure it’s no problem; you came after a corporate heir.”

“Really?” She finally asks.

“Really. How much do you need?”

This was one way to handle the problem. If he was really willing to part with so much of his own money, you’d be willing to say it’s the most peaceful solution.

“.....3 million should be enough,” she says. “I’d never come to your door again and I’d tell your father to drop the engagement, really.”

“Ha!” Jumin bellows, satisfaction in his eyes. Both you and Sarah squint at him. “Gotcha.”

“What? You weren’t serious?” She begins to get frantic again.

“Of course not! I can’t just use the company’s money at my whim like that. Father’s son or not, I’d be in a lawsuit for embezzlement.”

She nearly begins frothing. “This is NOT funny.”

“It most definitely is not, which is why I will ask you once more to leave. I’m telling my father what you’ve said and done here today, then we will never see each other again.”

“He won’t believe you! You can’t just-“

“I can and I will. Now please leave before I escort you out.”

She scowls and stamps her foot. “I—“

“ _Must_ I remind you I have a guest? I’m sure you’ve thoroughly upset her with you temper and crude manners. Please, be civil and see yourself out.”

“I am your FIANCÉE! You can’t kick me out like this! It’s entirely unfair, leaving me in the cold for some nobody!” She gestures at you when she says it.

You just shrug. Not your problem. Jumin, however, took grave offense and begins calmly berating her again for being so rude and intrusive. You begin to lift your phone to call Jaehee since this doesn't seem to be ending, but you see Jumin walking toward you. What...

“I’m sorry to do this, MC, but I think it’s the only way to let her out. I was going to do this soon anyway...”

_Nooooo...no, he couldn’t...nononono_

He leaned toward you, lifted your chin, and went for the kiss. Sarah screamed.

You pulled you lips from his long enough to say, “Jumin?”

“Shh,” he said, still close. “You’re blushing.” He smirked. “Close your eyes, focus on your senses.”

He kissed you again. You tensed your whole body.

_It’s just to get Sarah out....it’s JUST to get Sarah out!_

You heard Sarah yelling about being insulted and how she was going to tell Ms.Choi all about this, but you couldn’t focus on that. Jumin kept mumbling the cringiest shit.

“An audience takes the tension off our first kiss....your lips are so warm and soft...I think there’s still syrup on them...”

At long last, Sarah leaves.

“Good, she’s finally gone,” he says, pulling away.

“Jumin...” You had previously called him only Mr. Han to his face.

“Yes?” He asks, as if he didn’t just suck your face in front of a stranger for show.

“What the hell was that?” You ask as even and calmly you can manage.

“To be honest, I wanted to do that the first moment I saw you.”

_Oh shit, here we go. Tell him no, MC. Tell him he's not thinking straight. He’s overly emotional and its getting to him. This isn’t real attraction. Tell him!!_

“Is this really a good idea? Your cat is still missing, y-“

“This was unrelated to anything else, I assure you. I really feel something.” He smiles. “My cat may still be missing and father still delirious..,but you’re here.” He moves to grab your hand, but he stops himself. “You’re different. You really understand me. We can have conversations and touch and kiss-“

You wince. This was pretty bad. You didnt think it was _so_ bad....you should have shut it down sooner...You shake it off and tune back into reality.

“You’re different. Cat or no, you’re here and real. You can be here, take in my emotions, be mine...that makes me so happy.”

“B-be...” _Reroute! Rereoute!!_ “But, just a bit ago you were worried sick over Elizabeth! To change your mind so quickly...you’re not thinking straight!

“I’ve never been so sure of myself. In some strange irony, losing Elizabeth made me realize what I truly wanted,” he pauses. “You. And I want you to want me, too. Really.”

Flustered and slightly panicked, you manage, “first, let’s find Elizabeth. We need time to think this through.”

“I understand, every relationship needs time. All I ask is that you don’t leave me. I want to be the one to do everything for you. Please, allow me to be that man for you.”

You smile sheepishly. “I won’t leave, not until you feel better.”

You watch all his features untangle until a faint smile washes over his face.

You weren’t really listening when he started listing all the errands he had to run before returning home. How in the hell were you gonna pull yourself outta this one? He was still too fragile to get rejected and be okay. You had to play along as neutrally as possible until he leveled out. Right? Especially because you were caught in this whole RFA thing....if you soured your relations with Jumin everyone else might get hostile too. There were only a few days left until this party anyway. You’d make it until then before really and truly turning him down...you hoped.

Once you had made that decision mentally, Jumin was wishing you a good day and heading out again.

You spent the rest of the day patrolling the group chat, talking to anyone you could. The penthouse was a lot less homey without Elizabeth, caged or not. Thankfully, everyone seemed to be concerned about Jumin’s behavior. You could count on everyone else to pull you out of things got too....physical. But that wouldn’t happen. .....right?

You sigh and splay yourself out on the couch in the way a drunk man coming home at 2am might. Zen kept putting ideas in your head and making you nervous. You could only hope...

Footsteps.

Before you could sit up properly, Jumin enters. As with every other time so far, he apologizes for being gone. You sit up and stare at him blankly.

“I’ve called the chef and chosen wine for tonight,” he starts, shrugging his jacket off. “Oh, right, there’s a new dress for you in the closet. You can’t possibly wear the same clothes any longer.”

Just looking at him, he didn’t seem like he’d take no for an answer. “...but shouldnt I be going back home, er, to Rika’s?”

Jumin lets out a small incredulous chortle. “It’s not safe right now. I’m sorry, but I must request you stay here. There’s both the hacker and those women who may be after you,” he states. He could see you weren’t overjoyed at this. “I don’t mean for you to feel trapped, far from it. As I said earlier today, I would do anything to make you more comfortable, just say the word. In the meantime, why don’t we use the time to get more used to each other.” He nodded toward what you assume was the closet containing the new dress.

“I can’t just start living here...I have to leave sometime,” you mutter, walking toward the wardrobe.

“Of course you will, in time. I just want to be absolutely sure you’re safe. If anything happened to you now...” He cleared his throat. “I know you must return for work,but surely another day or two won’t harm anything. While you’re here you can enjoy anything you normally would, just make sure you take me or a guard with you. All the resources are yours, as well. In fact, I already thought of a hairstyle that would best suit you should you care to get your hair dressed...”

You frown and take the dress he bought you into his room to change. He keeps talking.

“I also want to take you to some tea ceremony lessons in royal dress. My whole family loves tea.”

You crack the door and poke your head out. “No offense, but what th— I mean, what are you talking about? What kind of relationship do we have for you to say—“

“You need me to tell you?” He laughs. “Lovers, companions, significant others,coupl—“

You walk out of the room, smoothing down the new dress. Its a little.....well. It reminds you vaguely of your grandma.

“I can barely keep myself from getting anxious about you. I wish I could put my name all over your body,” he says, walking behind you to usher you to the dining area, “so everyone would know you’re mine.”

You gulp. He’s definitely off his rocker insane. He’s unstable in a way that you’d no longer feel guilty for rejecting his advances. No. Now you’d feel scared.

“You’re....you’re going to take good care of me..right?” You venture, just hoping to talk him down a little.

“Of course. I know we need time, and I plan to care for you while we get acquainted.” He pulls your chair out for you and sits you down. “In time, I’m sure your heart and body will become perfectly mine.”

You stay stone faced, trying to not scream. “I don't want to be a replacement for your cat,” you say, as even in tone as you can manage. “I wouldn't call that a relationship.”

“....it makes me sad to hear that from you. Of course you’re not a cat, I know that.” He sighs, “I’m sure you’ll soon realize that being by my side is what makes you the most happy.”

“Ok.” You can’t take any more and stand, making a break for the door. “Thanks for your faith in me, but I can protect myself. I have to go.”

Faster than you could even verbally protest, Jumin blocks your path and backs you, a little forcefully, into a wall.

“Where are you going? Why would you reject me after all this...?”

“I—“

“You’d really disappear like Elizabeth...” You see one of his hands on the wall start to ball up.

“Jumin, no, I wasn’t going to leave,” you lie through your teeth. “We just need more time before we make any statements about...” you look at the slimming space between you. “Us.”

“Yes, of course,” he wheezes, looking down at the floor. “As much time as you need, you have. As long as I remain the man in your heart, I’ll wait for you. I’ll protect you, do anything for you; you must know that. Let me protect you, please. It isn’t safe for you.”

You give him a bit of a hurt look.

“I know my emotions are out of control, and I’m doing my best not to get to possessive.”

You stifle a scoff.

“But I need to know you won’t leave me.”

“I’m not going anywhere, Jumin.” You look straight into his soul when you say his name. He needs to feel seen. “I’m not going, ok? Now please, move away. I’m uncomfortable.”

“Oh...of course. How could I be so rude?” He asks, sidestepping to give you an escape route....to the dinner he had set.

You take a deep breath and head back over. You’d have to be a lot more delicate. _A LOT_ more delicate. Hopefully one of his older friends could talk to him soon. For now, you put on a smile and toast, ironically, to your own safety.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for tuning in once more. Run of the mill jazz here; I think there’s one more chapter like this before I suplex this story into a different dimension.


	5. Finally

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A nice talk, a rough patch, the beginning of the end.

You blinked in the darkness, you’d been in bed for hours now. You were just thinking through everything that’s happened lately with Jumin. His gushing about dressing you perfectly to his tastes and taking you on silly little outings....blah blah perfect blah true love blah blah BLAH protection blah blahSAFETY! Uhg! You rolled over.

“AAH!” you scream, seeing a tall dark figure in the doorway.

“Oh, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

 _What the FUCK is he doing?!_ “Well, you DID!” You sit up in the bed and try to calm your breathing.

“I’m so sorry,” he sits on the edge of the bed and puts a hand on your shoulder, “what are you still doing up?”

“Uh....I was just thinking about Elizabeth.” You squint. “Why were you awake? What were you doing?”

“I was just watching you sleep. Your breathing is so relaxing.”

“Christ,” you mumble.

“What?”

“Sorry, still thinking of Elizabeth,” you say. _Smooth_

“Ah.”

“Was something bothering you? To need to be...” you cringe “relaxed...by my breathing?”

“Of course. When the sun rises I’ll have to leave. I can’t keep you safe with my own eyes.”

“...isn’t this how you felt about Elizabeth?”

“Well, yes, partially.” He folds his hands in his lap. “But for some reason it’s so much stronger with you; I feel immeasurably more helpless. I want to protect you so badly, and I know, I _know_ , it’s irrational. But, please, bear with me while I try to sort my feelings. I know myself and I know I won’t feel this way forever...but for now, let me protect you.”

“The more you ask, the more I’m inclined to say no,” you say, honestly for once. “Today hasn't been your peak, I know. But really...the way you've been acting is like a spoiled kid,” you continue, “and I’m your expensive exotic breed of cat that you tote around at your whim.”

“I know. I already told youI know I’m being irrational. But even if you hate me, as long as you don’t leave, I’m happy. The only other woman who I’ve felt this way with has already left...”

“Rika.”

“Yes. She truly understood me and never wanted something from me in return.”

You adjust yourself and sit up straight for whatever story he was about to tell.   
He recounts a few examples of Rikas famed “benevolence.” In your eyes, she was just being a decent person. But for someone constantly in the presence of gold diggers, she must have seemed...special. Was he romantically attached to her too? That would make sense to you.

“Were you two.....close?”

“Of course. She was one of the only two friends I had, along with V.”

That’s not what you were looking for. “She was always listening to me, analyzing, searching...I don’t know what she saw but surely it was more than my family background. She saw my true feelings, the ones I purposefully buried.”

You lean in. “And what were those true feelings?”

“I....don’t...l’ve never spoken of them but, it’s you,” he sighs. “To most everyone, especially women, I seem cold and detached. I do this on purpose and stay focused on work to forget anything else I might be feeling. But...”

Even in the dark, you can see the pain in his eyes, he’s really trying. You put a hand on his to egg him on.

“Whenever I do that, I think about those emotions I’m burying and covering. I can feel the pressur building around that loneliness and unhappiness I’m hiding. Sometimes I feel like I’ve hit my boiling point. I think, ‘I need to talk to someone about this, soon.’ But no one who approached me ever had the intention of hearing me sincerely...until Rika.” He cleared his throat and swallowed. “But without her, I came to terms with the fact that I’m not the perfect man the media wants, nor a normal man society expects, I’m some sort of broken pathetic being that has thoughts that would pale the face of any decent person.” He turns and looks at you with true pity. “You’ve seen that side of me today, and I fear you’ll see it again before I can work through those feelings in a natural way. I hope..you dont think I’m too monstrous....or weak. I’ve never spoken so frankly about my emotions like this.”

You lay back down and pull one of his hands to your heart. “Truthfully, this is the most I’ve liked you since I’ve met you.” You give his hand a squeeze before letting go. That was no lie, since this was the first time he wasn’t being a rich douche or an unstable captor in your eyes. “I’m so proud of you for telling me this. I understand what you’re going through, I really do. That’s why I’m here, remember, And now I know that you understand yourself too. If you’re so aware of these emotions, I’m sure you can learn to express them in the ways you want to, I know you can.” You yawn, “I know you can.”

This was a big step for him. He understood his problem, so maybe he’d really be able sort it out in a day.

He kept talking. Something about you staying beside him. A hopeful relationship.

Barely awake, you blab, “I’ll stay with you. Everything will work out.”

The last thing you heard was, “you smell so good.”

“You smell so good...”

You nearly jump from your bed. Did he really say that or did you imagine it? Uhg. You patter around the penthouse in your oversized tshirt. You had bought it from the outlet store on the 7th floor as PJs.

Jumin was already gone. You check the messenger. Right, he was seeing his dad today. Well, no harm in dozing back off...

Your phone buzzing woke you. Oh? It was already the evening. You quickly skimmed the chat to find that Yoosung and Seven were finally back from their adventure only a little worse for wear, Elizabeth in tow, and Jaehee was even granted vacation. With the exception of Seven seeming abnormally disant and disturbed, everything seemed to be falling into place. With Elizabeth back, surely Jumin would be able to sort himself out.

You’re able to quickly text Jaehee about Seven’s research and what’s to come for you and the party before she goes offline again. Almost immediately, Jumin returns.

“MC, how was your day?”

You, still in your PJs, groggy and disheveled, just smile at him.

“Good, I see. I’m glad to see you here. Of course, I’d like to see this everyday, but I digress. Nothing too exciting happened, am I right?”

“Right,” you giggle. “I heard the meeting with your father went well.”

His face fell a bit, but his tone was still upbeat. “Yes, it went fairly well. He didn’t see my side completely, but at least he won’t trust those women blindly anymore.” He paused for a second to set down his things. “I told him about you.”

Your eyes popped open. “...oh?” Something about a being known the the head of a chaebol family didn’t make you feel too comfortable.

“Yes!” He continues excitedly. “Speaking about you really helped me organize my thoughts and feelings. I really....really am lucky to have met someone like you. Thank you, for everything.”

“It’s nothing,” you say, feeling a little soft.

“Nothing?!”

“I only wanted to help you feel better, no need for thanks.”

“You really are too kind; everything you say is warm,” he muses. “Unlike Rika.”

You frown in surprise, that was out of the blue.

“I want to rely on you more and more, honestly.” He laughs. “I know that’s not quite right. But I thought about what you said...you staying by my side. Just that alone gives me strength and a smile.” He sits down next to you and spiritedly puts his hands on his thighs. “I think...I think I can bear for us to part for now.”

Overjoyed, you turn to face him and nod. “Yes, I think it’s time for me to finish party preparations anyway.”

“Mmhm.” He sighs. “I don’t want to let you go, but with how well everything has been settled today, I have no reason to keep you. I’ll be sure to send you home first thing tomorrow.” He already looked sad about it. Jeez.

“Don’t look like that. We’ll see each other at the party in two days regardless,” you offer.

“Yes,” he says, regaining his smile. “I suppose you’re right.”

He stands and offers you his hand. “You should get to bed...or back to bed,” he chuckles, observing your present fashion. “I want tonight to be special, but...I plan to keep my control.”

“Well, I would hope so,” you only half joke.

“I know the best harvest period,” he says, unironically from what you can tell. You cringe. Yuck. “The more I think about this being our last night, the more I want it....but, no. We shall stay proper.”

You nod.

“Because,” he continues, with a strange edge to his voice, “if I see even the smallest opening...”

You give him a look that asks “then what?”

“I’ll try to own you.”

You feel your face calcify. “And...just what would happen if you were to...uh, lose control?”

“Well,” he looks away from you, pink in the face. “I probably wouldn’t let you sleep much tonight.”

You choke on your own spit and cough. “Righto! To bed then? I mean, separate beds! Goodnight!”

You scramble into the bed. Thank every god of every religion you could leave first thing tomorrow. He needed some time alone to cool down. Once you were at a distance he’d probably realize how weirdly clingy and forward he was being. Probably.

  
  


After a very quick morning greeting, you were woken in your bed for said greeting, you both agreed to say goodbye after lunch. Jumin left quickly after that. You blink.

 _Wait. After lunch?_ You groan. _Shit! And, also, fuck!_ Had you been more awake you might have argued, but you mostly grunted and grumbled when he had spoken with you. “Whatever....whatever! It’s fine! Lunch is only a few hours away anyway!”

Those hours came and went, with the only marker of their fleeting existence being the few conversations you had in the group chat. Mostly everyone was just excited for the party and congratulating your work.....except for Seven. Clearly whatever happened with him and Yoosung really hit him hard. Every time you tried to ask about it he brushed it off, instead asking to no one why V wasn’t calling. It was frustrating that no one was paying too much attention to him. Yoosung wrongly tried to sympathize with his hatred of V. Jaehee didn’t say much at all. Jumin was at work. Zen was the only one who really seemed to be concerned about Seven. Unfortunately, neither you or Zen seemed to be able to do much to help. You even, futilely, tried calling Seven, which was strange since you couldn’t ever remember calling any of the RFA first; you only answered them or returned missed calls.

You got kind of annoyed all of a sudden that you were stuck in a damn penthouse. You weren’t sure why it was bothering you so much right now of all times. After how many days you’d been there why was this your breaking point?

Speaking of the devil, all the talk about Yoosung, Seven, and the hacker, seemed to get to Jumin during his few minutes present in the conversation. He....wasn’t going to let you go today either. To be honest, when he was late for lunch, you got that feeling. But...seeing it written knocked the emotional wind from you. You were tired, so, so tired.

Even once Jumin returned, everything he was saying felt like it was being said while you were underwater. You sit on the couch, staring at the wall. He was saying something about dinner plans? Of course he was.

“Mr.Han, sir. A visitor.”

Jumin wrinkles his nose and calls back, “who is it?”

“A man going by the name V. He says he works for the RFA.”

“Let him in.”

You perk up. The almighty and mysterious V. If he couldn’t set this straight, he could at least answer some damn questions.

“V, what a surprise,” Jumin says, welcoming his friend inside.

“It’s a visit long overdue,” V chuckles, passing the threshold into the living area. “And I suppose you’re MC? Pleasure to meet you.”

“No, no, the pleasure is mine,” you offer, noticing that there is an all too familiar feline in V’s arms. “You brought Elizabeth.”

“Yes,” Jumin adds with an upwards lilt.

“She must have missed you, Jumin.” V sets her down and lets her roam the penthouse. She does seem happy to be back.

“I wanted you to have her,” he states flatly.

You stay quiet while he and V explain to each other why they’re each right. It was nice to take a break and have someone else slap some sense of reality into the man. Maybe that was too harsh. Was it? Regardless, you know you only felt this bad about it because you’ve had no time away from the man in days. Rightfully or not, V’s intervention was appreciated.

“MC, what do you think?”

You spoke too soon. V was looking toward you. He would back you up, right? “I think Jumin should keep Elizabeth; I told him that already.”

“That you did,” he admits.

“See?” V interjects. “If you won’t listen to me, try listening to her. Or vice versa. Whatever makes you consider the idea.” He crosses his arms and looks Jumin up and down. “I knew you were stubborn but you’ve really been outdoing yourself lately.”

You widen your eyes at no one in particular, but just in agreement. This doesn’t go unnoticed by V. He, bless his soul, mentions the fact that you’re still there. He combats Jumin on his reasons for keeping you, calmly and logically. If it wouldn’t land everyone in the hurt tank, you could kiss the man. After a lot of back and forth, Jumin finally accedes.

You’re finally free.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, the last chapter before i decide on any big changes. Anyone catch a vibe of said change? lol, anyway check the tags before reading the next chapter when it arrives to avoid any unwanted annoyance. The story can end happily (kinda) here for y’all. Thanks 4 reading n have a good one


	6. It’s all over now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well, if it wasn’t clear before, it will be now.  
> (A long one! Buckle up!)

The amount of times you’ve said “Aw, that’s sweet:)” or “Aw, haha” in the last twelve hours was borderline torture. Has Jumin Han changed? Is he able to process emotion? You would venture a yes to both, but that didn’t mean he was without issues. The weird clinginess he developed....the romantic feelings he still claimed to have....it wasn’t good.

To be clear, you didn’t hate the man. Not anymore. But, and it was a big but, you still did not think that his feelings right now were all genuine or healthy. He had unpacked a lot, but he still had a long way to go. There’s no way he could say he found the love of his life when he had known you for little more than a week.

As uncomfortable as it was, it was bound to die down soon since you were no longer joined at the hip. He did keep talking about going on real dates, which you weren’t entirely opposed to. Admittedly, you did get a little attached to him. It was nowhere near the scale that he had but, under the right conditions, maybe something could come of it.

You tried not to think much about it because it was the day of the party. You had bigger fish to fry. You double check the emails and call Jaehee after each time to confirm the guest list and their requests. Gettting dressed is an ordeal in and of itself as well. Jumin had you take an obnoxious gown to wear today. Weirdly, it fit. On the bright side, at least you weren’t saddled with trying to find something formal enough of your own to wear.

  
——

Once it’s time to go, you opt for a taxi to the venue. A bus in this dress? Naaaaah. You shuffle out of the taxi and into the building. You approach the woman you’re certain is Jaehee. She doesn’t recognize you.

“Your name?” She asks, not looking up from her clipboard.

“MC.”

“Oh, it’s you! Welcome, it’s nice to meet you in person.”

“You too, really.”

As you say this you watch Yoosung bound up behind Jaehee, worry carved into his face.

“ _Why_ are there so many reporters here?! I’ve almost been trampled _twice_ in a stampede,” he wheezes, pitch dropping near the end which he finishes with a pout.

Jaehee turned a sympathetic gaze his way and opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by Yoosung.

“No way,” he starts, pointing a limp finger your way, “is this—“

“MC, yes,” Jaehee confirms.

“Gosh, it’s great to see you!” He says, bouncing on his toes a few times. “Thank you so much for organizing all this: the party, the guests, and Jumin’s emotions.” He smiles when you let out a polite giggle.

“I wanted to thank you as well,” Jaehee adds.

You smile, “I’m glad to have helped.”

Yoosung rests a hand on his cheek and notes, starry-eyed, “you’re so pretty, too! Prettier in-person! Jumin is such a lucky guy.”

“I wish you both the happiest future,” Jaehee chimes, holding your hand in sincerity.

You pull back and stop yourself from frowning.

“Actually, we—“

“Uumph!” Yoosung grunts and brushes his shoulder. A reporter had nearly knocked him flat. “Jaehee, I think all of these reporters are fighting for a spot here.”

“Yes....”

“Oh, Glam and Sarah are here,” he snorts. “They’re all going _crazy_ trying to get pictures of them! And why are they dressed for a red carpet event? This is a fundraiser! They should focus on the photos or the mission statement or something,” he complains with a stamp of his foot. He groans a loud open mouth sigh at the sight of them. “And she just has to go on and on about Jumin like that, too? Hmph.”

Jaehee laughed uncomfortably. “I’m sure Mr.Han will handle this. It was his idea after all...”

“When is he coming?” Yoosung asks, looking around to dodge any incoming foot traffic.

Jaehee admits she doesn’t know. You listen as they exchange useless information. No one knows where anyone is right now. Jaehee tells you to stay glued to her, lest things get too hectic when another member does show up. Not aching to be a social butterfly, you graciously heed her request.

“Jaehee!” A voice calls. Yoosung uses it as an out to say his goodbyes and disappear back into the growing cloud of guests and reporters flooding the hall.

Meanwhile, you can finally make out the figure approaching Jaehee.

“Zen!” You shout with a smile, waving an arm theatrically.

He ducks a little, and motions for you to be quiet. Both you and Jaehee watch him slink up beside you.

“Those reporters almost killed me!”

“The second near-death today,” you note.

“They took so many pictures, I can’t see right.” He blinks rapidly. “I mean it’s flattering but seriously?” He sighs and runs a hand through his hair.

Jaehee tiredly responds, “yes....Mr.Han has a lot to answer to.”

“At least you look great!” You say, motioning toward Zen’s outfit.

He grins and strikes a small pose, for which both you and Jaehee clap.

“Thank you. MC? It’s so nice to see you, safe and in one piece.”

You laugh, but you truly were and are grateful for his constant concern. While his weird vanity issues could be a little bothersome, he was probably the most emotionally attentive person you’ve dealt with for the last week or so. He really was too kind.

“I’m sorry you got wrapped up with Jumin,” he pauses for a breath. “God, that guy. Really, if he’s ever bothering you, you can tell me,” he puffs.

You throw yourself forward, giving Zen the biggest most appreciative bear hug you can. “Thank you,” you whisper before giving a final squeeze and backing away.

“Well, she seems happy enough to me,” Jaehee laughs. “So, I guess we shouldn’t worry to much about her. Have you seen Mr.Han yet?” She asks, turning to Zen.

“Mm, I think I heard the he came in through the back. I’m nit sure where he is now.”

“Noted. I think he’s planning something...”

Zen groans. “I wish he would just show up and clean up this mess he made.”

Jaehee smiled ominously into the distance. “Oh....he invited the celebrity news stations.”

You and Zen both give her a look before following her gaze. A herd of cameramen were beelining toward you.

“I gotta go,” Zen breathes, ducking away into the crowd behind you. The cameras skirt you to chase him down. Poor guy.

“They must be having fun,” Jaehee says, following the trails of mic booms into the distance with her eyes.

You feel hands heavy on your shoulders from behind.

“Jesus FUCK!” You spit. You hear laughter.

“Hey, MC! You’re here!” You know that voice.

“Seven...” Jaehee hangs her head a bit. “You recognized her from behind?”

“Of course!” He notices your worried look. “I had my eyes on you with the cameras, y’know, for security.”

You manage a weak smile and nod.

Hands finally falling from your shoulders, Seven moves in front of Jaehee.

“I heard the Chairman and Jumin are both here. Have you seen V?”

“Huh? They are? Where? I haven’t seen them!” Jaehee starts scanning the horizon.

Seven blocks her view. “Yeah, I just talked to both of them. You haven’t seen V then?”

“He wasn’t with them?”

Seven’s nose wrinkles for a moment. “Anyway, Jumin told me to bring MC.”

Jaehee squints. “Why?”

Seven sighs. “I dunno, probably just misses her.”

You try to hold back a grimace by making it a smile. You’re sure you look pained.

“Alright, let’s talk later then,” Jaehee offers, nodding you off to Seven’s care.

He smiles at her before asking you to follow him. You do as you’re told, following him to the crowded ballroom. He looks into the amorphous blob of hustle and bustle once and frowns. He turns to you and holds out his hand.

“Grab on and buckle up, this might be a bumpy ride.”

You put your own clammy (ew) hand into his and squeeze. He cracks a bit of a smile and tugs you through the crowd. He glances back every now and again to make sure you’re alright and not getting walloped by a camera lens or flailing notepad. Once you clear the crowd, he ushers you though a small back door into a small little dining enclave. You both breathe a sigh of relief and take in a moment of relative quiet.

“Hey,” Seven begins as he busies himself turning on all the lights in the room, “I wanted to tell you that...uh, though you came to us by following strange orders from a strange person, I’m glad nothing happened to you.”

“I appreciate that.” You stay put right inside the doorway, watching him finish lighting the area before walking back to you to meet your eyes.

“Really, and I mean _really_ you have to be more careful in the future. Please.”

You give him a guilty smile and a little shrug.

He gives you a stern look and opens his mouth but stops when the door to the room cracks open.

“Luciel!”

“V?!” He freezes and just blinks as V walks into the room and shuts the door quietly. He looks you up and down with a smile.

“Its good to see you outside of Jumin’s place...different.”

You nod vehemently.

“Take good care of him for me.”

Your expression breaks into a worried grimace, but you notice V had already moved on to Seven.

“I’m so sorry for not getting back to you sooner.”

Seven stares through V, dead-eyed.

“For ignoring you,” V self-corrects.

In a low voice Seven asks, “where’s Jumin?”

“Oh, he said he needed to do something,” V answers with a flippant wave of his hand. “Anyway,” he continues talking straight to Seven, “I understand how upset you must be.” He stops to scan Seven’s expression. Sensing no change, he goes on. “Let’s have a real talk after the party, alright? I mean it.”

Seven, looking at the ground concedes with a quiet, “mmhm.”

You had nearly forgotten that Seven had been upset lately. How awful that he had to endure the whole party feeling like trash, smiling and chatting around. You felt pretty bad, but at least V was here and willing to talk. That’s the only thing he’s wanted the past few days.

Just then, you heard someone speaking over the mic. Seven rushed to the door and propped it open to reveal the Chairman’s new woman on the stage, giving some sort of speech.

V is squinting and straining trying to see who it is. Eventually he says he recognizes her, but doesn’t know her. He asks Seven who she is as an aside.

He explains, but only briefly, before declaring that she shouldn’t have the mic at all and taking a few large strides forward.

“Thank you all for coming to this lovely event today in celebration of the engagement of Jumin Han and my student, Miss Sarah,” the woman states, before golf clapping into the microphone.

You hear Seven let out a quiet curse as he tromped toward the stage.

“What is going _on_?” V asked, following you, following Seven.

“Fuck if I know,” you admit.

Suddenly, an outcry from the reporters announces Jumin’s entry. You and your two companions-so-far freeze in your tracks to watch Jumin take the stage, each eyeing each other worriedly. In the crowd you can spot Yoosung, Zen, and Jaehee with similar marks of worry cast on their faces.

Everyone breathes a sigh of relief together when Jumin begins introducing the RFA and the party’s purpose. He introduces you, V, and Seven, likely because you had made it so close to the stage. The three of you smile and wave stiffly to the crowd, like the Madagascar penguins.

He goes on to explain what the party is really about, and that he did invite some.....outside guests of personal persuasion. Your eyes widen and you glance at Seven, wincing. He really did all this for public humiliation? He couldn’t have really....just...for that? The mask of death present on Jaehee seemed to confirm your suspicions. As did Jumin’s next delcaration, that he would be discussing something personal and unrelated to the party first.

“How interesting,” V said, with a kind of positive energy you didn’t think the situation deserved.

Seven, once again looming behind you, said, “don’t worry. Everything is gonna be fine.”

You appreciate the sentiment but it wasn’t about you. This was about his dad’s personal business. Unless...

_No._

You whip yourself around and stare Seven down. Did he know something was going to happen? You kept searching his eyes for answers while Jumin’s voice flooded the hall. 

He was explaining his emotionless nature. He was explaining his love life up to this point. He was explaining that he thought it would be something forever ignored by him, until...

_No. No, no, no, no, no!_

You begin vigorously shaking your head at Seven, who seems confused by your reaction. He gives a small twitch of his eyebrows before seeming to pick up your thoughts. “Oh no,” he mouths silently to you before spinning you to face the stage as he does the same.

“I couldn’t help but fall in love with this woman who warmed my icy heart,” Jumin continued.

“Who? Sarah?” V asked, dumbly. He did _not_ pick up on Jumin’s plan.

You were still weakly shaking your head. Seven discretely brought a hand up behind you and held the base of your neck.

“Not while there are cameras,” he whispered.

You gulped.

At the back of the stage, Glam, Sarah, and his dad were all bubbling with comments to both Jumin and each other as Jumin recited a very sincere confession of love.

“I..can’t,” you frantically whisper to Seven.

“Just smile,” he answers, “you just have to smile.”

“That woman...is MC,” Jumin finishes, finally.

You feel your heart drop into your stomach. You knew he’d say it, but that didn’t help prepare you for the chaos that followed.

Behind him, his dad and the girls were cawing and clucking about how this couldn’t be true and how ridiculously cruel this all was. Everywhere around the the cameras panned wildly, hoping to mystically know that it was you he spoke of. The all yelled out, demanding explanations, demanding to be shown who you were, demanding, demanding, demanding.

You barely noticed that someone found you out before Seven kicked your ankle.

He strains to whisper through his teeth, “smile!”

Despite wanting to scream and run and cry and punch, you stand stock-still and smile as nicely as you can.

You hear V droning a low, “uuuuuuuhhhh,” as the crowd slowly starts to swallow you.

Seven and V stand on either side of you, just in case. You can barely hear Jumin over the sound of the cameras and questions.

“There it is,” Seven breathes.

“What?” V asks, seemingly a little annoyed.

“He just outed them as scammers. I gave him the information about the Choi girls this morning,” he says quietly, so as not to get _that_ caught on film too.

V starts laughing. “You have to admit he has style. How dramatic!”

Both you and Seven give him a look that shows just how much you both care for drama. The reporters continue to close in until you’re nearly sandwiched between the two men.

But, then you can see them clearing near the outermost ring. They’re focusing on something else. More and more cameras follow the action until only a few remain near you. The three of you all take a deep breath. Following the cameras leads your eye to Sarah, who’s throwing an absolute tantrum.

“Well,” you say flatly, “you can’t say it’s not what she deserves.”

“Jaehee looks suuuper pissed,” Seven observes, finally spying the rest of the RFA.

“Meeeee too,” you mumble.

Seven scoffs; clearly he heard that.

Jaehee makes her way toward you. She opens her mouth to speak, but as she does, the reports make a comeback. More questions, new questions, no questions, just yelling.

“What’s going on?” Jaehee asks, fear in her voice. She watches the crowd race toward you.

“They’re back!” Seven announces, stepping in front of you. “Stay behind me,” he says wrapping on hand behind himself and you. You grab hold of it and his opposite shoulder, bracing for impact.

“Oh my god,” Jaehee breathes. “Where’s security?! SECURITY!” She calls out, racing away for help.

Not two seconds later, Seven is bearing the brunt of the reporters pushing and shoving to get past him.

“Get lost! She doesn’t wanna talk to you,” he yells, holding his ground against the crowd’s pushing as best he can.

You didn’t hear Jumin say it, but like parrots the reporters announce, in the form of a question, that Jumin is making his way toward you.

“Fuck,” Seven wheezes.

“Nonononono,” you lament into his vest. While you hide behind Seven’s back, you hear Jaehee trying to guide V to safety, but he refuses.

“I think....something is going to happen. I get the vibe....something _very_ romantic is in the works,” he announces excitedly. “I don’t want to miss it.”

“Seven...Luciel...” you whine into his back.

“Just...smile,” he repeats weakly.

“....you wore the dress,” an all too familiar voice observes.

You meekly peel your face from Seven’s nape and step out from behind him. There’s a wide circle of cameras surrounding all of you. You’re gonna vomit.

“MC, I missed you,” Jumin cooes.

He begins apologizing for the racket he caused, saying it was done out of love. Still nauseous, now dizzy, you slide an arm behind you, feeling around... _there_! You grab Seven’s sleeve. You tug.

_Help me. Please, help me._

He grabs your wrist.

_I’m here._

“I love you so much, more than anything,” Jumin continues, with a suspicious bend in his knee. “Will you—“

You interrupt him with a loud heave and throw a hand over your mouth. You heave again, tugging on Seven with your free hand.

He reads you loud and clear, rushing away through the cameras and out the back exit with a quick “gotta go!” He leads you away from the building, running ahead at a growing distance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well boys I have no idea where this is going. The writing ran away from me. C’est la vie


	7. I just need a minute...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MC hasn’t learned a damn thing and rushes into comforting yet another emotionally damaged boy.
> 
> **Just an FYI, there’s definitely some level of spoilers up ahead. To be safe, I’m gonna say info from the secret end and the Rika behind story may show up here.**

“Come on!” Seven yells, turning a corner into a parking garage.

You pause long enough to lift your dress nearly over your hips and run as fast as you can, hoping your heels don’t catch or break.

You gain on him and catch up completely when he stops in front of a flashy sports car and starts it up.

“Get in. Buckle,” he commands, opening a door to the back seats. “Stay low.”

You do as you’re told, choosing to sit in the middle and curl up into a ball.

The car starts moving, maybe too fast. You’re silent for a while, but the stress of the whole situation finally forces the tears out of you. You let them fall silently. An errant sniffle tips Seven off.

“Hey,” he says, devoid of any emotion, “you ok?”

“Yeah,” you answer, voice cracking.

He gives a hum of acknowledgment and stays silent for the rest of the drive.

When the car stops, Seven races out of his seat and helps you out. He turns you to face him and hold you tightly, smothering your face in his chest.

You cry out in protest, but he doesn’t respond, instead walking you somewhere you can’t see. A few beeps, then you feel him push a door open. You shuffle in, still glued together. Once you’re safely inside, he lets you go. You gasp for air and reel backwards.

“What—?”

“Stay here, don’t touch anything. You might set an alarm off. I have to go calm everyone down. If anyone calls, you’re in the hospital. You don’t know which one. Have them call me.” Seven shrugs his vest off and throws it aside onto the floor before turning and leaving without another word.

——

He walks back out to his car and sits in the driver seat. Both hands on the wheel, he grips tight for a moment before dropping his arms and slapping the steering wheel with a frustrated grunt. He takes a breath in, pushes his hair back, then starts the car and heads back to the venue.

God, what was he doing? What a fucking week. He was under pressure from work to finish a difficult job quick, then handled a side-job for his friends, ended up in a hacking stalemate, got forced to keep watch over an innocent bystander caught in the middle lest she fucking explode, got attached, was put under house arrest in order to finish the first job, found out his estranged twin brother was somehow involved in the hacking bullshit, was ignored by the only source of answers, _blatantly_ , then forced himself to get it together and act human for a day, but went stupid and whisked away the girl of the hour from her lover for a reason still TBD.

He sighed. What was he going to do? When she started showing the first signs of distress that afternoon, he tried to ignore it. He had bigger problems. But somehow seeing V with his own eyes pushed those issues back for a moment. V was ready to talk. Good.

A sense of peace from that allowed him feel bad for MC again. She shouldn’t be put through all the pomp and circumstance when she was clearly uncomfortable. Why didn’t Jumin ever listen to others’ feelings? Maybe he couldn’t. Hell, he barely figured out how to listen to his own.

Still, he didn’t think it would have gone like this. She was so desperate to escape the situation, how could he say no? But as he drove her away from her problem, he realized he kind of fucked himself up. He would have been happy to stay there with her in comfort, but.....V. He still needed to talk to V.

And yeah, everyone else was probably freaking out. Jumin must be beside himself. Never feeling anything for anyone and then they leave? Your worst fear?? Oof. But he’d be okay....eventually.

Seven told himself he, too, would be okay eventually. This would all pass. He’s experienced so much worse in his life, he just needs to calm down. He takes one final deep breath as he pulls back up to the venue. Many of the cars from before are gone. Hopefully the _actual_ guests didn’t leave.

“Luciel!” Jaehee calls from the doorway. “We’ve been trying to reach you! Where’s—“

“Sick,” Seven answers. “Where’s everyone else?”

“Inside, chatting with the guests. The reporters are nearly all gone, but most of the guests stayed despite the earlier.....incident. Everyone is just trying to be cordial.” Her expression droops. “We were hoping that the host could come back and chat with those she invited, but-“

“Yeah, she’s not doing well.”

Jaehee gasps. “Oh my, is it serious?”

“Mmm, probably not. I took her to the hospital and they said it’s just a bad case of food poisoning. They’re keeping an eye on her though.”

“Oh dear....that’s....unfortunate.”

“Really, the timing, huh?” Seven jests. “I should go and do my part,” he declares, nodding toward the hall.

“Of course,” she says. “If you see Mr.Han, please do update him. He’s not in the best mood right now.”

“Understandable,” he says, heading inside.

Just observing the room? No one would be able to tell a B-list celebrity’s scandal was exposed and a proposal failed in there earlier that day. Everyone was talking, laughing, bonding. It looked so happy there. Even Jumin seemed able to put aside his emotions for work. He looked as jovial as an uptight businessman normally would be. But something else caught Seven’s eye.

“V,” Seven said, walking quickly toward the man currently snacking on hors d’ouvres.

“Ah, Luciel! Is she—“

“Fine. I wanna talk.”

“She’s okay?” He pursues, probably avoiding the latter half of Seven’s statement.

“Well, she’s not great,” he mumbles. “Not the point right now.” He motions toward the door.

Feeling like he can escape it no longer, V takes the hint and slides away from the festivities to have a long awaited chat.

  
——

What a fucking day! The wind in his face worked well to wipe away any errant tears. He was mad. So, so, _SO_ mad!

He left as soon as V had nothing else to say for himself. And while he had already yelled quite a bit, there was a lot more where that came from. It was no use to keep berating him outside of a public event. He told V to tell Jumin to call him after everyone went home and stormed off.

Was he driving recklessly? Yes. It was a backroad with no one else on it. It was fine. Probably. Doubly good since he had the top down and was yelling obscenities to the wind that meandering pedestrians didn’t need to hear.

And what was he supposed to do with this information, anyway? Everything he’s ever done, every hardship he endured was for one purpose. Now he’s found out it was nearly for nothing.

Saeran _was_ alive. He was. But....its like he was never freed from his past. What has he endured?

_“Please don’t act rashly, it’s a delicate situation.”_

“HA!” He spat to the wind. Delicate, huh? Maybe it wouldn’t have been if someone, oh, say....I don’t know....DID something about Rika’s problems?! And no, letting her believe what she wants is NOT a solution. Clearly!

Seven shook back and forth in his seat, trying to hold in his anger. He wanted to scream like a madman. Everything was awful.

Finally, he arrived home. For the first time in the past hour or so, his thoughts left the situation with his brother and V. He wondered what you’ve been doing this whole time. You hadn’t set off any alarms; he had no notifications. Hopefully you were alright.....

Something about that last thought made him extremely nervous and he bolted for the door, unlocking it and throwing it open as fast as he could.

Seeing you exactly where he had left you, sitting in fetal position on the floor in front of his small sofa, he sighed all the nervous tension away. He calmly came in and shut the door. Were you awake? Seven crept closer, quietly, until he was crawling on all fours, trying to peek under your arms to see your face.

-

You had heard him come back, heard him close the door, but now it was quiet. Maybe he was going to leave you alone for a while. Not a bad choice.

You decide to chance a peek into the room to see if he’s still there. Lifting your head just a bit, you see bright amber eyes staring right back at you.

Screaming like a startled alleycat, you throw yourself backward into the couch, which moves back with you a bit until you’re nearly flat on the floor.

Seven similarly yelped and jumped back.

“What are you doing?” You wheeze, pulling yourself back into a sitting position.

Seven, nerves back at a ten, replies through shaky breaths, “I was checking to see if you had fallen asleep.”

“Christ...”

“Sorry.”

“It’s ok,” you say while moving the sofa back to its previous position. “How was it?” You asked vaguely since you didn’t know who or what would have taken the biggest hit from your abrupt leave.

Seven just frowns. “Fine. The party went fine.”

“And?” You were trying to sus out the cause of his expression.

“What?”

“The bad news?”

“Oh, nothing. I actually didn’t talk to Jumin. He might call later.”

You squint. “Was it V, then?”

Seven felt like a jolt of electricity traveled up his spine. “It’s not your problem to worry about.”

You scoff. “Well, I mean, I know why I’m upset, You know why I’m upset. You know why you’re upset. I’m trying to fill the gap here,” you stand and offer him a hand to help him up. “You know, to commiserate.”

“Actually, I’m not a hundred percent sure what happened with you,” he argues, taking your hand and sitting on the couch. He pats the cushion next to him. “I’ll listen though.”

You wrinkle your nose at him, but sit next to him. “I know this is a distraction, but I’ll oblige.” Seven feigns shock. You roll your eyes. “The long and short of it is that I’ve known you all for less than two weeks. Strange to get to a proposal so fast, right? Not only that, but the time I did spend with the man he was developing feelings and growing attached for the wrong reasons. For christ sake, he threatened me when I tried to go home!”

“What?!”

“Yeah. He said to my face he wished he could keep me in a cage. He also admitted to having more....primal desires. Something along the lines of marking me as ‘his’ or writing his name ‘all over my body’,” You completed that last sentence with airquotes.

Looking back at Seven, his jaw was a little slack and his eyes wide.

“He seemed to know that none of those things were normal, but that didn’t stop him from saying it. Anyway, I just felt like our....relationship, if you want to call it that, was built upon his instability. If he really wanted something to come of us, we would have to start over. I told him that! But somehow that translated in his head to...this,” you motion widely to your dress.

Seven was now clenching and unclenching his jaw.

“So that’s that on that,” you finish. “Your turn! What’s the beef with V?”

“....he really said those things to you?”

“Huh? Jumin? Yeah.”

“Did he ever....do anything to you?”

You give him a confused look before you get what he meant. “OH! Oh, god, no! I would not have sat through that without protest.”

“Good,” Seven says with a sigh of relief. He quickly tenses again. “Do you...really care for him?”

“I care for him as a friend and, at this point, nothing more.”

Again, Seven sighs. “Did you tell him that?”

“Well,” you start, fidgeting a little, “not in those words exactly, but damn close! I wanted to be more blunt but there were times when doing so wasn’t exactly in my best interest.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean he went a little....he wasn’t exactly what I would call stable.”

“....meaning?”

“I wanted to come out of the situation as unharmed physically as possible.”

You watch Seven throw his head back, sighing yet again. “Why didn’t you tell one of us you were in trouble?”

“Well, I didn’t really wanna put him on blast like that. You all kinda got the idea that he was acting up, Zen especially. I didn’t need to go the extra mile by calling him criminally insane.”

Seven bobbles his head in thought.

“Besides, you had your own problems no one was paying attention to.”

Seven spits and sits up straight. “No one needed to!”

“But they should have! What are friends for?”

“It’s a personal issue; I have those all the time. It’s kinda in my job description to be ready and able to handle that myself.”

“And it’s kinda human not to be okay with that all the time. Everyone needs a listening ear every so often. And, correct me if I’m wrong, but whatever happened with you is pretty major.”

“Huh, you can say that again.”

“Exactly....soooo, what did V do?”

Seven pauses. “It’s about what he didn’t do.”

“Ok, what didn’t he do?”

“Keep a promise.”

“The nature of said promise being....?”

“To keep an eye one someone important to me and take care of them.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry. Are they okay?”

“Not really. They’re alive, but that’s about all the good I can say.” He’s quiet for a moment before the anger bubbles back up. He leans in toward you. “Can I tell you a secret?”

You face him, sitting sideways on the couch. “Of course!”

“I don’t really like my job.”

“Really?”

“I only have this job because of V’s promise. And he broke it.” He rolls his eyes. “But it’s too late for me to live a normal life now.”

“I’m sure it’s possible,” you muse, “but you’d have to uproot I’m sure. And I’m guessing you don’t want that?”

His entire face droops with his frown. “No, not really.”

“Is there a way you can help this person you care about?”

Suddenly incensed, he starts, “that’s what makes me so mad! He told me not to do anything about it!!”

“What?! Why?”

“My problem and his problem overlap. He gave his problem priority at the expense of mine.”

“Oh, well, that’s just shitty. That’s _SO_ shitty.”

“And I trusted him...”

“Oh, Luciel...”

“For years, _YEARS_ , of my life. I trusted him and did my work thinking it was all worth it, but he was negligent and lied through his teeth.”

You put a hand on his knee to let him know you’re listening. He should let it all out.

“He acted like he rescued me, but he just dragged us from one hell to another! All he did was rack up a body count of innocent people, a count of how many people he could sacrifice in hopes of dragging out the stalemate _he’d_ created in _his_ relationship. How fucked up do you have to be to let kids, _children_ , fall victim to an abuser, worse, letting it happen after ‘saving’ them from one? To just turn a blind eye to anything you don’t want to confront and pretend it’s not going to affect anyone else?” He drops his head and breathes loud heavy breaths. “I _hate_ him! I hate him...”

You scoot forward hesitantly. Oh yeah, he was definitely crying. You reach out and pull him into your arms, rubbing his back gently as he sniffled into your shoulder. He quickly wrapped his arms around you. At first gently, so you only feel the ghost of his embrace.

“It’s ok,” you whisper.

He tightens his grip and squeezes like he’ll never let go as he’s racked with silent sobs.

You stay like this for a while, until Seven’s breathing is slow and even. He peels himself from you and loosens his grip until you’re face to face.

“Thank you,” he says, voice hoarse.

“Anytime.”

“You...really are too kind. You should be more careful...”

You give him a quizzical look. “Careful....of being kind?”

“It’s just...no wonder Jumin fell so hard.”

“What?” You ask, a hint of annoyance lacing the question.

Seven chuckles a bit. “Anyone would want to keep someone so caring around.”

“I suppose I’ll take that as a compliment.”

He smiles and nods. You see the first glimmer of real happiness from him in that moment. His smile is like a ray of sunshine, bright and happy.

_Vrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrtvrrrrt. Vrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrtvrrrrt._

“Huh? My phone!” Seven scrambles around his coffee table to find it. “Oh...” He pulls his lips into a straight line as he lifts the phone and flashes the screen to you.

It’s Jumin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, thanks for tuning in again! What happens next, even I don’t know!  
> I think this is the first time I had someone else’s POV in for a second:0


	8. Ride or die

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ignorance is bliss. So are bathroom jokes.

“Hello?”

As Seven answers, you retreat to your corner of the couch and curl up, as if bracing for impact...or hiding. Or both

“Oh, heya Jumin. What? No, I’m fine.”

Jumin seems to be going on a bit.

“Look, he—“ Seven huffs through his nose. “I don’t wanna talk about him. He knows how I feel about it.”

You strain to see if you can hear what’s being said.

“Apologize?! Who! Me or him?”

As Jumin speaks, Seven rolls his eyes and holds up a hand to mimic Jumin’s speech. He mouths, “blah blah blah” as he does.

You give him a weak smile in return.

“Listen, did you really call to talk about me? Yeah, I didn’t think so. No, yeah, she’s alright.”

Picking up his bit, you mime a violent puke.

Struggling not to let his chuckle be heard, he explains, “Sh—she’s just got some sort of food poisoning, the doctors said.” He winks at you. “Where?”

He gives you a worried frown. Didn’t he think about this?!

“Oh, they discharged her. Yeah, yeah. You couldn’t reach her?”

You hold your phone up to show you had turned it off long ago. He shoots you a finger gun and mouths, “good choice!”

“No, no. Yeah, to Rika’s. It’s just closer. Oh no, theres,” he pauses to half-snort half-scoff, “there’s no need to worry about the hacker going after her. It turned out to be....a personal issue.”

You squint accusingly. You wanted the tea on that later, since it was still marginally related to you. This didn’t go unnoticed by Seven, who gave an awkward cough.

“Ohhhhh, nonono NO. Sorry, man, no-can-do. Y’see as much as the party is said and done, the place is still _ripe_ with sensitive info. Can’t just be giving that out, y’know?”

You do a silent little victory dance. You were off Jumin’s grid for the time being. Hell yeah!

“Yeah, no, I get it. I’ll head over and check on her. I’ll text you, then.” He almost hangs up, but you hear Jumin start talking again. “ _That_ is not up for discussion. He can contact me himself if he wants. Goodbye.”

_Bip!_

“PHEEEEEEEEEEEW!” Seven wheezes, before excitedly turning toward you and shaking your shoulder. “We did it!”

You, being shaken, ask, “Did what?”

He drops his hand and rolls his eyes. “We threw him off your trail!”

“...for now,” you add.

“Ok, true true true _true._ BUT! You have some time to breathe. Maybe you two can chat tomorrow,” he says, seemingly deep in thought. “Not alone, though. No more of _that_!”

You smile. “You seem to be in a much better mood.”

“Yeah, yeah, for sure!”

Well, that wasn’t genuine. “You don’t have to put on a face you know. You sounded different as soon as you picked up the phone. You don’t have to keep that up.”

Seven sighs. “I mean, I do feel a little better,” he admits. “I’m trying to hype myself up a bit; I have some work to do.”

You nod understandingly. “To help your special someone?”

He chocked on his own spit a little. “Well, I mean, yeah, but not-“

“Great, how can I help?”

“What?” He asks, flatly.

“Hey, man, you were ride or die for me just a few hours ago. My turn.”

“Ohhhhhh!” He nods a few times as he stands. “Yeah, mmhm, uh, no.”

“What?!”

“It’s dangerous!” He rebuts.

You give him a tired look. “Like I haven’t been in danger all week? Boooooo!” You complete this with a thumbs down.

Seeing no way out without extensive explanation, he tries, “I mean I have some work for the agency I have to do first. They’re...how do you say....un poco... _pissed. off_.“

“Cool, cool, cool,” you mutter. “I’ll wait.”

Again, your words shake Seven to his core. He’s clearly frustrated with your persistence.

“Think about it. You brought me here and took several measures to ensure I wouldn’t know what your house looked like or where it was; I couldn’t look out the window and you body-blocked my eyes on the way in. I don’t know where I am. I can’t get home from here.”

“Ok, you got me there,” he admits. “ _However_ , I can easily drive you home.”

You click your tongue. “With all that secret agent work you have to do right now?”

“I can spare an hour.”

“Thirty minutes both ways? So it’s not far.”

Seven frowns.

“Ok,” you begin, trying to hold back your shit eating grin, “say you do drive me home. You have to call Jumin in a few hours.”

“Uh-huh,” he agrees.

“With an update.”

“Yeah.”

“On me.”

“What am I missing here?”

“Now, you could lie when you call. You could say, ‘she’s at home resting. She’s ok.’”

“That would be a lie?”

You shrug. “I dunno yet.”

“Are you threatening me?”

Again, a shrug.

“You would really go and find trouble to get back at me for not letting you pay back a favor?”

“No comment.”

He lets out an incredulous scoff. “If that’s the way it’s gonna be, fine. But I really do have agency work, and that’s more than confidential.”

You snap, throw out a finger gun and a wink, then lean back into the couch and cover your eyes with your hands.

“I’ll take a nap.”

He sighs. At least your presence would push him to get his work done faster.

-

So you sat, head back, resting on the couch. Your eyes, as promised, remained closed. You just focused on your breathing, the sounds of a keyboard lulling you to sleep.

You hear Seven’s phone. Was it Jumin again already?

“Oh, hey. Yeah, yeah, I’m working.....oh. You saw that, huh? WHAT!? No!! She’s....asleep. If she wakes up?” You hear him set down his phone and sigh. He’s walking away. Coming back. Toward you? Behind the couch. You can hear his breath. He’s close.

_Ah!_

You try not to jump when you feel his hands on your head. .....An eye mask? Lol.

“Handled,” Seven says, presumably to his phone. You could hear him shuffle back to his desk. “She’s not a threat. No. Oh my _god_ , no. Uhg...” He lowers his voice. “We’re not involved. A friend literally tried to marry her today, ok? You don’t have to worry about it.” He paused. “NO!” He yells then lowers his voice again, “that is _not_ true. I was just doing my job. Ohhhh, yeah, sure. Just know, I’m rolling my eyes at you. Well, I’d get to work if you’d get lost!”

You want _so_ badly to ask or to peek. But, you know that would be dumb. Not that being dumb has stopped you before. See: this entire week.

“You don’t need to come! I’ll get it done,” Seven whispers with a strange vitriol.

You hear him hang up and sigh. No doubt, his work is demanding. That must have been a boss or manager. But...why did they know about you?Must be some sort of know-all agreement in his contract. You tried to ignore that part. How much did he have to finish immediately? How do you _finish_ hacking? You shook off the thought and again focused on the sounds of the keys.

—

Huh? You fell asleep? You can’t see. Right! The mask. You’re wearing an eye mask, in Seven’s apartment, waiting for him to finish his work.

Even with your eyes open in the mask, it seemed dark. Was it night already?

“Hey,” you whisper cautiously into the distance. You have no idea where he is or if someone else is there. Is he on the phone? “Hey!” You whisper again, but with more force. There’s still no reply.

“How’s work?” Silence. “Seven? Luciel?” You’re now speaking at a normal volume, but still getting nothing. You close your eyes and focus on the sounds around you. Focusing on the silence, you don’t hear distant keypresses or a mouse clicking. You barely hear a computer humming. You do, however, hear breathing. Holding your breath for a second to make sure it’s not your own, you realize its close. Too close.

“Seven?” You try, one final time. You reach out, feeling around in the direction of the sound. “Seven?” You keep blindly groping. A leg. That’s definitely his leg. You lift the mask up over one eye.

There you were, leaned forward to the opposite end of the couch, hand planted firmly on his thigh. You look up. He was blinking sleep from his eyes and stifling a yawn. He slept on the couch?

You pull your hand back and retreat to the sitting position you had been in prior. Oof, that nap probably wasn’t good for your back. It cracks a few times as you readjust.

“Sorry,” you say, putting the mask back on fully. “You weren’t responding when I called your name.”

He laughed. “It’s okay. I finished my work and you were asleep so I didn’t wanna wake you.”

“You could have,” you mumble. “You didn’t have to sleep on the couch.”

“On the contrary!” He laughs and yawns at the same time, loudly. “Jumin called.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. Asked how you were. No lie, I said you were sleeping. He said, and I quote, ‘watch over her. I want to be one hundred percent sure she’s alright. Call me when she wakes up.’”

You wince. “Sounds like him.”

“And I said to him, ‘right, I’ll check the security cams I put up last week and let you know.’ Then he says to me, “that’s not good enough.’ So I laugh at him and say, ‘what do you want me to do, stay by her bedside until she inevitably wakes up, scared out of her mind because of the uninvited guest?’ And he _actually_ said, ‘that’s preferable.’”

“What the hell....”

“Yeah, something about how he trusts me, blah blah blah. Anyway, I kept my promise. Stayed by your side as you slept, like a psychopath.”

You laugh. “Thank you?” You sigh out the last of your laughs. “That means I have to talk to him now, huh?”

“Mmm, I’d say put it off for tonight,” he says, reaching behind you and pulling the mask from your head. “You can talk tomorrow.”

“Seems fair.” You glance around, adjusting to the lights and searching for a clock or window. Failing in the instant, you ask, “Is it late?”

“Late enough not to open _that_ can of worms.”

“Early enough to open yours?”

He smiles wryly. “You’re not gonna let it go?”

“Like hell. You’re still out here covering for my dumb ass between work and a personal emergency. I owe you SO much.”

“Fine, but I’m keeping my promise to your bff Jumin first.”

You groan. He looks at you with what you could describe as a twinkle in his eye.

“Hey, if you want, you can go make gross noises and flush the toilet a bunch of times while I’m on the phone.”

You cackle and stand to take him up on it. “Isn’t it a little mean?”

“Well, we’ve been lying for half a day straight. That’s not exactly the nicest, y’know? But do theatrics make it any worse?” He walks you to the bathroom. “I don’t think they do, at least.”

“Fair enough,” you reply.

He stands outside the doorway and dials, giggling like a schoolboy. Who knew bathroom humor could still be so fun?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey howdy, once again sorry this story literally derailed faster than a train trying to pull a ninety degree turn. Thanks for sticking with me, though<3


	9. Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time passes but nothing is decided.

After a show-stopping performance from you, two things happened. 1) You accidentally made Jumin worry even more, so much so that he requested hourly updates from Seven should he not just give Jumin the address, which he did not. 2) You sat down with Seven and a bunch of papers to brainstorm a solution to his problem, finally.

You took a cursory look what Seven brought. There were maps and reports enough to cover his coffee table.

Seven sat down next to you and passed you a PHD Pepper.

“For the energy,” he said.

You nodded and cracked it open. “So what’s all this about?” You ask, taking a swig.

Seven stared down all that he had brought. He wanted to keep it as vague as possible, but there were really only two big secrets he was intent on keeping: Rika being alive and that the person he was helping was his brother.

“Well...how should I say it...this person has had a rough past.”

“Ok.”

“They’re supposed to be living comfortably right now.”

“And you found out they’re not.”

“Right.”

“Are they...in Korea?”

“What, yeah?”

“Ok,” you say with a tone of disbelief. “It’s just that you talk as if you can’t see them yourself.”

“Well, my job stipulates I don’t.”

You snap your fingers. “That makes sense. Expect that you literally hang out with the RFA, so why not this person?”

“They’re much more connected to my past, which is much more taboo.”

You tilt your head from side to side in consideration. “Alright. So, with your help, do you want to see them?”

“Of course I do! But I shouldn’t.”

“You see them, don’t see you?”

He clicks his tongue and shoots you a finger gun. “Bingo.”

“Where are they? They’re stuck with someone else right? Their abuser?”

Seven claps. “Yes! Exactly! That’s exactly what they are!”

His enthusiasm for that part of your statement in particular rings strange to you. “I take it others don’t view it as an unhealthy relationship?”

“Not really,” he sighs. “I don’t think my...uh, friend does either.”

You exhale in a large puff. “Well, that complicates things.”

Seven just gives you a look. Seems like he thought he was just gonna go in, pull his beloved out, and call it a day.

“It’s pretty difficult to help someone who doesn’t want help, Luciel.”

“But-“

“No buts. You’re just gonna piss ‘em off. It has to be gradual and accepted on their end.”

He pouts. “But they have to know it’s unhealthy.”

“Well, the good news is, they don’t know me. I can go in and befriend them casually and encourage them to build their own opinion on the situation.”

Seven squeaks a guilty, “Ehhhhhhhhhhh.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Uhhhhh, well. You might not be a complete stranger.” He chuckles nervously. He didn’t wanna tell the whole truth. Not yet. “Ok, the truth is,” he began, knowing this is a good way to start a lie, “the place this person is residing is actually the place of worship of a fringe religious group.”

“Oh no....” You’ve had your own run-ins with zealots. Not pleasant.

“Yeah, well, it gets worse.” You nod and listen. “This particular religious group is pretty radical and aggressive.” Your face distorts in displeasure. He continues, “and that group _may_ have been behind the messenger hacking and, by proxy, your arrival.”

“One sec,” you say, turning away from him. You inhale deeply, and let out a very long, tense, heavy breath. You turn back toward him. “Ok, I’m good.”

“Yeah, that’s the mood.”

“So...what’s your plan?”

“You mean the one you already shot down?”

“You mean the one where you take someone from a cult and expect that to blow over, smooth like butter?”

“Listen...”

“I already did. Bad plan, regroup.”

“Ok, fine, what’s _your_ idea?”

“Well I never said I had a good one either.” He sticks his tongue out at you as you continue. “I have two thoughts.”

“Ok, hit me.”

“Plan A) I join their religion secret spy style.

“PAAAAASS!”

“Or, plan B, you break the laws of your work and go for a heartfelt intervention.”

Seven sucks in a sharp breath. “Ooooh, don’t like that either. I think where they are right now, they don’t exactly...wanna see me.”

One accusatory look later, you have him explaining, “he thinks I knew what V was....or, rather, wasn’t doing. Like...my abandonment was on purpose?”

“Ok, not ideal, I see.”

“Right.”

“Still, that’s the best option we have.”

“Is it though?”

You raise a brow. “Yours was like mine but 1000x more force! Unless you mean you liked plan A.”

“No! Definitely not.”

“Well then, get gussied on up. You’re due for a date.”

Luciel winced. A date? Did you think this was about romance? Awkward. He started poking at his phone.

“What are you doing?”

“Texting your boyfriend,” he said sharply.

“Don’t call him that,” you whine.

“Why not?” He grins, presumably finished with his text.

You pout and elbow him in the arm. “Because it’s not true!”

“He doesn’t know that,” he replies, sing-song.

You grumble and chug some more of the soda you had, thinking about how to change the subject. “So, how soon do you wanna commence Operation Eye Opener?”

“Hm, weird name,” he muses. “I guess, ideally, as soon as possible. I might get another influx of agency work soon based on what I just finished up doing, though...” He poked at his phone some more. “I’ll probably wait for my coworker to call before making any decisions on when to leave.”

“Ok, then let’s just plan the wheres and hows for now, generally. How are we gonna get there, how will we force a dialogue, how can we keep it under wraps...”

“Uh huh,” he says, thinking and shuffling through some papers. “That could take a while.”

“Well, I don’t have anywhere to be.”

He scoffs. “Tomorrow you do.”

“What?”

“I told Jumin you were getting better.”

You groaned and slumped forward. “Lucielllllll, whyyyy?”

“You can’t be vomiting forever!”

You roll to your side. “I know, you’re right. You’re very right. I just don’t wanna.”

“The longer you drag it out the worse it’ll be. See me, for example. I haven’t seen this person since....god, since I was maybe in middle school?”

“Thing one: you’re still right. Thing two: oof. That’s....I’m sorry to hear.” The single braincell you have left is turning some gears. _Wait._.. “that means you’ve been ‘off the grid’ so to speak since then. You were doing this work as a kid? That’s....not right.”

Seven gives you a knowing look. “You think?”

“Alright, point taken: Fuck V.”

He laughs. “Yeah, kinda.” Turning his attention back the the table, he remembers what he was trying to do in the first place. “Anyway, you should rest for tomorrow.”

You squint. “Are you sure this isn’t just a ploy to keep me from being involved?”

“Busted!” He shouts, hands up like he’s been caught. “But it actually is getting late, and neither of us should deny ourselves sleep....which begs the question: where do you wanna sleep?”

“What do you mean?” You laugh weakly, “in a bed?”

“Lol, no, like....I still have a promise to keep.” He waggles his phone in his hand as a reminder of said obligation.

“You’re really gonna humor him?”

“Unlike some people, I keep my promises.”

“You also lie, though?”

He grunts. “I’m trying to put an end to that.”

“Oooookay,” you drawl.

“So you can go home, but I’d have to follow.”

“What about your work?

“I can pack up a few PCs.”

You consider it for a minute. “Well, I would LOVE to get out of this dress.”

“I can lend you something.”

You click your tongue. “So you’d rather stay here?”

“Well, it is my house.”

“‘Kay, here is fine as long as you promise I can leave tomorrow.”

He laughs and holds out a pinky. “Promise.”

You join pinky and thumb, smiling. Then, Luciel stands and announces he’s in search of pajamas for you. Thank _god_. The ballgown you’d toted for the whole day wasn’t the most breathable design.

“Hey, do you usually get cold at night?”

“Uhhhh, I dunno. Usually I run hot unless you have a window open or the A/C on.”

“Ten-four!” He waltzes back in with a hoodie and shorts. “Best of both worlds,” he announces, handing them to you.

“I owe you yet again,” you half-joke, heading for the bathroom.

Why are sweaters always more comfortable when they aren’t yours? His hoodie was big on you but not gargantuan, just baggy. The shorts were sweatpants material, with a string tie. Everything felt soft and fuzzy.

You emerge from the bathroom, holding your dress in front you like molding trash.

“Is there a place I can put this?”

Luciel motions widely at the floor.

You jokingly toss it on the ground, nowhere in particular.

“Good enough,” he says.

“Really?” You bent down and picked it up. “I’m not just gonna trash your place.”

He rolls his eyes. “It’s fine I do way worse every day.”

“But I’m a guest.”

“All the more reason to do whatever you want.”

You, holding the dress again, shake your head. “It’s clean now anyway.”

“Oh em geeeee,” he groans. He rips his formal necktie off and flings it somewhere behind him then shrugs. Before you can protest, he similarly removes his button down shirt, leaving only a tanktop on, and throws it to the floor beside him. And for the grand finale, he leans over the table and slides some of the papers off. “There, not clean. Just throw it wherever, really.”

“A weird hill to die on,” you mutter, throwing the dress to the ground once more.

He nods approvingly at the pile of tulle and lace you made. “Cool. I’m good to sleep here; you can have my bed.”

“Nooooooo,” you groan, “that’s too nice! I know its being a good host or whatever but I’d rather use the couch. Or the floor.”

He makes a noise like a game show buzzer when someone answers wrong. “You already slept uncomfortably today. I heard your back crack like a glowstick earlier!”

“You slept on the couch too!” You protest.

“I napped less. Also, upright at the couch is an upgrade from no sleep at my desk.”

“Fine!” You spit. You take two pointed stomps away from the couch. “Where’s the bedroom?” You ask with the same indignant tone.

He sighs and stands, guiding you to his bed.

“If you get hot or cold or hungry or whatever, just come smack me.”

“Unlikely.”

“Damn...”

You snort. “Oh, didn’t know that’s what you were into.”

He laughs, ushering you under the covers. “For real though, you need anything I’m there. And that’s coming from God Seven himself, not the left hand of C&R’s psycho department.”

You climb under the sheets and smile back at him. “Noted.”

“Goodnight.” He turns the room light off and retreats back to the couch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it’s been a second lol I super didn’t proofread this time. But I got a new computer to type with:D  
> Thanks for reading as always<3


	10. System Error

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seven’s brain-train. What’s going on in there?

_Shit, fuck._

He huffs and puffs quietly, speed walking back the the couch. What was _wrong_ with him?! He was fucking up. It must be because of the news with V. It set him off. He forgot how to act. Thankfully, he was going to take you to see Jumin in the morning. Then you’d reconcile and he could officially stop fantasizing. He shouldn’t have thought anything in the first place, but....

He kept bringing up Jumin to see your reaction. You didn’t seem happy. Every time you frowned or winced or groaned at his name, he felt something in his chest. Whenever you insisted that his troubles were real and worth talking about, it was like he was hit by an arrow. Sleeping next to you, even though it was just a nap on the couch...it felt so comfortable. The worst by far was seeing you in his clothes. _His_ clothes. He could have given you a hanger for the dress, but he got some sort of juvenile satisfaction from seeing it tossed in a pile haphazardly. And...saying goodnight...

Why did he want to climb in after you? Why did he want to have his hands on you? Touch you? This was so _bad_! Good thing you agreed to stay at his place. Rika’s is much smaller with much less space for him to run from his feelings. _Feelings_?! He wasn’t supposed to _have_ those! Maybe it was all this hopeful talk getting to him. Besides, it was definitely freaky for him to have feelings for you. Like Jumin, you’d known each other for less than two weeks. But he never spent time with you like Jumin. You didn’t seem to bond over things the way you did with Jumin...or maybe you just had different opinions about cats.

But the weirdest part was that he knew so much more than he’d ever tell. He was charged, naturally, with confirming your identity and, later, keeping you safe. For those first few days before Jumin stepped in, he was on constant watch, hunting for scraps of a clue. He found out about your family, friends, work, likes, dislikes, everything he could to try and figure out why you had been sent there. It was all to no avail, but he couldn’t just throw that all in the recycle bin and erase it from his memory like a computer. He knew that you had much more going on than you’ve ever said, at least in the RFA group. Did Jumin know about your past? Does he know that you’re not his perfect ray of sunshine? That you have problems that deserve attention too? Probably not, with how self-centered he’d proved to be.

He slumped flat on the couch, thinking about how much he felt he could understand you personally. He wanted mored time with you, but he doesn’t deserve that.

_Ding dong! Ding dong!_

_Please recite the Oxyrhynchus hymn in original Greek._

_Knock knock_

Luciel sat up. Was it Jumin? At this hour? He walked to the door and looked at the camera feed. _Oh_.

“Vanderwood,” Luciel said, in the most impersonal way possible.

“You!” His colleague responds, pushing past him into his home. “What the hell has gotten into you lately? I mean, I know you’ve always been a little unreliable, but really...” He trails off, scanning the usual mess of the place. Then suddenly, he grabs Seven’s arm. “Hey!” Vanderwood yells, yanking him to face he same direction as he points at the abandoned ballgown. “I thought you said—“

“Keep it down!’ Luciel whisper-yells.

“Oh no, she is _not_ still here. You said you weren’t involved!!!” He whispers back, as angrily as possible.

‘We’re not! She was already wearing pajamas when she threw that there.”

“So she _is_ here?”

“I’m taking her to her fiancee tomorrow, calm down!’

“How can I? You barely complete your assignments before I get the order to off you, and you’re out here breaking protocol, sleeping around—“

“We _aren’t_ sleeping together!’

“You’re half-dressed and her clothes are on the floor. She must be in your bed. You’re telling me that _nothing_ happened?”

“Yes, for fuck sake!”

“Fine, I won’t ask again, but hear me out. Just ask yourself if whatever you’re doing is a good idea and if it’s really just a good deed, like you say.”

He rolls his eyes. In reality he knew the answer to both of those things was a big fat “ _NO_ ,” but he didn’t need anyone but himself to know that.

“Whatever,” Vanderwood huffs, glancing once more around before digging through his pocket. “It was just my job to confirm that you were indeed alive and, in fact, the person who was doing and submitting work earlier. They made me deliver the next assignment on this flash drive; here.” He hands off the information and heads back toward the door. “And, just so you know, it’s incredibly creepy to have a camera on someone while they sleep.” With that, Vanderwood sees himself out.

Luciel glances at his monitors. He forgot he left one on. He told himself the eye on you was just to keep his promise.

He should text Jumin....it’s been an hour

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short, but hopefully sheds a little more light on his whole gig. For those who care, we’ll see Jumin again next chapter:)  
> Edit: changed the work’s tags in light of this chapter.


End file.
